THE new top man in charge of the London Metropolitan Police was born in Chester.

Sir Ian Blair, who has just taken over as commissioner of the force, lived at 41 Sandy Lane, Boughton, until he was 18.

After serving as deputy commissioner to Sir John Stevens, Sir Ian has taken over the top policing role in the country with a brief to reform the service.

Sir Ian, 51, said: 'I'm lucky to have been the deputy here for five years. Of course, you would be daft, it would be very unwise, if you didn't understand the gravity of this sort of job.'

His parents, who lived in Chester from the 1940s until their deaths in 1980 and 1990, are buried in Christleton churchyard.

He grew up with his brother Sandy, 58, a former director of the Welsh Local Government Association, who received a CBE in the New Year's honours list for services to local government.

Sir Ian, has 'very happy memories' of Chester. He attended

Chester Cathedral Choir school before boarding at The Wrekin College, Shropshire.

He recalls his family reading the Chester Chronicle.

He said: 'I was about 10 when the Moors Murder trial was on at Chester Assizes. I remember trying to read it and mum and dad taking it away because it was too gruesome.'

Nowadays he doesn't often get chance to visit the city.

'The reason for going back was mum and dad and when they're gone you stop coming back. A lot of people would remember Jim and Sheila,' said Sir Ian, whose father was a Lever Brothers transport manager at Port Sunlight.

Sir Ian was not afraid of getting his hands dirty . As a youngster he too worked on the docks at Port Sunlight and at Shotton Steelworks.

But his first love was the theatre.

'I worked behind the scenes at the Chester Gateway. I never acted on the stage. I built scenery and helped with the lighting on the school holidays,' he said.

After a gap year spent on a scholarship in Los Angeles, Sir Ian arrived to read English at Christ Church Oxford in 1971, determined to become an actor. But although he devoted much of his time to acting and directing, he realised he lacked the talent to turn professional.

On recruitment to the police he was selected for fast track and rapidly rose through the ranks.

As Chief Constable of Surrey, he worked alongside then Assistant Chief Constable Peter Fahy who now heads up the Cheshire force.

'He's a really fine officer,' said Sir Ian. 'I think the people of Cheshire are extremely lucky to have such a truly great operator. I worked very closely with him for two years.'